Combined change receiver and sign illuminator



Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. f

PHILIP MICHALOVE, OF ASHEIVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR F ONE-TENTH TO STERLING P. DUCK, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

COMBINED CHANGE RECEIVER AND SIGN ILLlUMINATOR.

Application led'August 16, 1923. Serial No. 657,707.

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, PHILIP MroHALovE, a citizen of thellnited States, residing at Asheville, in the county of Buncombe and State of North Carolina, rhave inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Combined Change Receivers and Sign Illuminators, of which the following is a specification. f

This invention relates to an improved incidental sign-displaying device, or combined change receiver and sign illuminator.

The main object of this invention is to generally improve on devices of this character, by a construction and arrangement of parts that isy comparatively simple and inexpensive, yet exceedingly convenient, practical and effective. and which permits of .quickly and easily changing or removing and replacing the signs, the lamp and the electrical connections Without using any tool whatever, b any person of ordinary me.- chanical ability.

Another object is -to provide a device of this character of which the main body and substantially1 all lparts are of incombustible and electric insulating material, except, of course, the conductors of the electric circuit, being incombustible though not insulatin A urther object is tovprovide a device of `this character which has its sign holder in an upright and rearwardly inclined position at back of the change-receiving an, so it is in the most conspicuous or easi. y visible position in front of the customer when be on she takes the change from the pan.

A `further object is to provide' a device of this'character in which the main body has a concavo-convex part which provides a concave reflector and a convex self-righting part, the latter tending to prevent thedevice from being overturned if accidentally struck from the' front.

Other objects and im ottant features will be pointed out or implied in the following details of description, in connection with the accompanying drawings in which,-

Fi 1 is a vertical'sectional view, the section eing in the median vplane of the mainbody and pan, also through the sign and the translucent non-transparent plate that normally hides the sign. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the main body or base and `a screw that forms one of the electrical connections for the lamp.

Referring to the drawings in detail, in which similar reference characters corre -spond to similar parts throughout the several viewsz-The main body or base 5 and pan 6 are preferably of porcelain or other material which is inherently electricdnsulating, noncombus'tible Vand light-reflective, and which may be cast or moulded in suitable moulds. The body 5 comprises a horizontal part 7 yand the upright'part 8, the latter having parallel grooves 9 which are upwardly and rearwardly inclined and receive and hold a -translucent but non-transparent plate 1() and a sign 11 at the slightly rearward inclination, shown, which is the most effective position for presenting the sign to' the eye of the user. This si is also translucent or partly so, and is il uminated by an electric light produced in a bulb or lamp 12. A reflector 13, which is 'preferably a concavel part ofthe body 5,

cooperates with the lamp 12 for distributing the light rays throughout the sign 11 and di ecting the light through the translucent pa ts of the sign and plate 10. The upper ends of the' grooves 9 are open except w a cover 14 v( also preferably porcelain or the like) is in place and covers these grooves. The grooves 9 terminate, at their lower ends, in a wall or partition 15 which supports the sign and the plate 10 while separating the light-chamber from the switchchamber 16 in which a switch 17 is secured. This switch is here shown as an ordinary push-button such as emplo ed for door-bells etc., and will not be described in detail, except to remind the readers that the buttons 18 of such switches are held in the outer position by a spring which also holds the switch open. There o h re the elastically held button 18 supports the front end of the pan 6 while its rear end is supported by pivots or trunnions 19 which rest in grooves or bearings 20 of the part 7. The trunnions 19 may be formed entirely of the material from which the part 6 is molded, or it may bel axiall reenforced by a wire 21. The 'upper si es of the grooves 20 are open, so

that the trunnions may be lifted out of these grooves when desirable to remove the pan 6 for adjusting the switch'or other electrical connections. Holes 22 are provided in the bottom of the switch-chamber 16 to receive any suitable fastening means for securing the switch in place. Grooves 23 communicate with the holes 22 and form outlets for the conducting wires 24 and 25 which connect the switch 17 to the lamp 12,' passing through holes 26 of the partition 15. The wire 24 passes through a hole 27 to the inner Contact 28 of the lamp 12; but the wire 25 connects to a screw 29 which is threaded in the lamp-socket 30 and makes contact with the screw-threaded shell or conductor of the lamp. Line-connecting wires or conductors 31 connect to the wires 24 and 25 and pass out through either one or both of two openings 32 of the body 5. These conductors 31 may connect to a battery or to any other source of electric energy,.but preferably to a lamp-plug (not shown) so it can be attached to any ordinary lamp-socket. l

The bottom 33 is preferably plane, and this plane surface preferably extends from its front end to the center of gravity of the upright part which includes the lamp-chamber: However, rubber feet- (not shown) may be provided at the front end and at the center of gravity of the upright part.

By simply lifting the cover 14, the sign and its hiding-plate are made free, and can be lifted out of the grooves `9; and this removes the front part of the light-chamber. 'so the lamp 12 can be reached and removed or adjusted. The lamp-chamber is substantially dust-proof when closed, so the lamp will need no cleaning.

lt is not intended to limit this invention to the exact detailsof construction and arrangement here shown, but changes may be made withinl the scope of the inventive ideas as implied and claimed.

What l claim as my invention is z* 1. A combined change receiver and sign .illuminator which includes an integrally formed insulating body comprising a low front part and a relatively high rear part, said front part having an upwardly opening switch-chamber therein, said rear portion having a forwardl opening lamp-chamber therein and providled with upright grooves to receive a sign, also provided with a lampsocket in rear of the grooves, also provided with a reflector in rear of the entrance of the lamp-socket; an electric switch in the switch-chamber; electric conductors connecting said lamp-socket to said switch and adapted to be connected to an electric energizing source; and a coin-receiving pan closing the opening of said switch-chamber and being depressable for closing the switch: whereby light is reflected from said reflector meager onto and through a translucent sign when such sign' is 'in said grooves while an electric lamp is in said socket, upon depression of said pan. L l

2. The structure defined by claim 1, said pan being provided with trunnions formed integrally with the body of the pan., said switch-chamber having upwardly openingr vtrl'mnion-seats therein to receive the trunnions and permit them to'be removed, for the purpose specified.

3. A main body-member of a sign-receiving and sign-illuminating device, such bodymember being integrally -formed of electric insulating and incombustible material and includin a low front part K and a relatively high rear part; said front part including a switch-chamber to contain an electric switch, also including means to support a coin-receiving pan in position to be actuated for closing the switch when the latter is seated in said switch-chamber; said rear part including a lamp-chamber having a lamp-socket inl its lower part and a forwardly facing reflecting surface above and rearward of the entrance of the lamp-socket the lamp-'chambervbeing open at its iront side and provided with grooves in which a sign can be slid for displaying it in front of the reflector, one end of each groove being open to receive and permit removal of the sign. 4 v

4. The structure defined by claim 3, said reflecting surface being a concave wall-portion of said lamp-chamber, therefore being electric-insulating and incombustible.

5. The structure defined by claim 3, the pan-supporting means comprising upwardly opening trunnion-seats formed in opposite walls of said switch-chamber.

6. The structure defined by claim 3, said grooves being nearly vertical, but slightly yinclined rearward.

7. ln a combined change receiver and sign illuminator, the combination of a main bodv of insulatingand refiecting material which includes an upwardly opening switch-chamber and a forwardly and upwardly opening lamp-chambe r, the front part of the lampchamber being formed lwith parallel upright grooves having their upper ends open to receive a late or translucent sign which may be slid down into the Aooves, the rear part of this main body being concaved so as to form a light focusing reflector. a lamp socket being formed in said body between the reflector and the grooves which hold the sign; a switch in the switch-chamber; a change-receiving pan closing the upward opening of the switch-chamber and being depressable for closing the switch; a removable cover to close and open the upward opening of the lamp-chamber and its signreceiving grooves; electric contacts in the insulating 1amp-socket for making electric connectcn with a lmnp when it is in te lampsocket; amd electric conducting means connectng the said electric contacts with sa switch and adapted io be electrically con- 5 nected tc a source of electric energy.

8. The structure pan also being provided with pivots 01 defined by claim lysed.

srunniens, sai switch chamber having up? Wardly opening .trunnicn-seats in which said tmnmons are removably seated, for the purl" pose specified.

In testimony whereof ax my signa,-

ture.

PHILIP MICHALOVE. 

